Sealing means and method for wire-bound boxes



Max:116, 1928. 1,662,011

E. H. LUDLOW SEALING IEANS AND HETHOD FOR WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Dc. 6, 1922 INVHVTDR.

4 221...; H. Add,

Patented Mar. 6, 1928. I

UNITED STATES nnwann n. LUDLOW,

PATENT OFFICE.

01' EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WIBEBOUNDS PATENTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

. ammo; imans' amp METHOD r012. WIRE-BOUND BOXES.

Application fllednecember 6, 1922. S erial No. 605,826.

This invention relates to wire-bound boxes and particularly to'sealing means and methods therefor.

Among other objects, the invention is in- -applie when t e free wire ends are twisted together. For clearness of illustration, the box is not shown.

' Fig. 3 shows the wire and seal of Fig. 2

d after the free ends of the wire and the tongue of the seal have been intertwisted.

Fig. 4 shows the twist, with seal applied,

hammered down parallel with the binding wire.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an ordinary wire-bound box provided with sealing means embodying the invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, a wire-bound box usually consists of four separate sections of side material 1 and cleats 2 connected together in foldable relationship by binding wires 3, the free ends 44 of which are preferably twisted together as at 5 to complete the continuity of the wire binding. End sections 6 are also usually provided,

which end sections preferably rest against the inner faces of the cleats 2 at either end of the box.

A wire-bound box having binding wires attached thereto and completely encircling the same cannot easily be opened without leaving evidence of tampering except by untwisting the intertwisted wire ends and then carefully intertwisting them again. Clever pilferers have been able to so manipulate the ordinary wire twist. Applicant provides means for detecting the untwisting and twisting together again of the binding wire ends thus providing a sealing means for a wire-bound box. As shown, such means comprises a small seal adapted to be applied to the twist at the time the free ends of the binding wire are joined and which will disclose evidence of tampering with the twist.

The referred form of seal comprises a fiat b0 y-plate 7 usually of thin metal and circular in shape and a tongue 8 projecting at approximately a right angle from the plate 7; the tongue 8 preferably being cut or stamped out of the body-plate 7 and bent at a right angle'thereto as shown in Fi 1. In applying the seal, the body-plate is placed behind the binding wire-and against the box side as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 and the tongue 8 is placed between the wire ends 4-4 as shown in Fig. 2. The operator then twists together thetwo wire ends 4 -4 and the tongue 8, as shown in Fig. 3, x and hammers the completed twist down against the side of the box as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus the tongue 8 is intertwisted with the free wire ends'44 and becomes a part of the twist. If the twist is untwisted the tongue 8 will be so bent and mutilated that it will be almost impossible to replace it in its original twisted position between the wires without leaving evidence of tampering.

It is desirable, in some instances, to make the seal of such thin metal that the untwisting of the twist or an attempted second twisting of the tongue of the seal will cause the tongue 8'to break off from the bodyplate 7 thus destr oying the seal and leaving evidence of tampering.

It will be noted that the seal is applied at the time the free ends of the binding wire are inter-twisted and becomes a part of the twist. Such a seal and method of applying the same are particularly advantageous in that no additional operation is required in applying the seal; also the seal is held fiat against the box side thus eliminating any objectionable projection from the box side to interfere with the handling or storage of the box.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Means for sealing a wirebound box comprising a metal plate positioned between a box side and a wirebinding and having a metal tongue projecting at approximately a right angle from the plate and intertwistedwhereby if t e twist is untwisted and again twisted the tonguewill be so mutilated and broken as to leave evidence of tampering).

2. Means for sealing a wirebound ox comprising a metal plate positioned between a box side and a wire binding and having a tongue projecting therefrom and intertwisted with the free ends of said wire binding.

no I

3. Means for sealin a wirebound box comprisin a plate having a tongue projecting there rom and ada ted to be intertwisted with the free en s of a box binding wire; said tongue being sufliciently flexible for intertwistin with the wire ends without breaking and f iangible when subjected to additional manipulation.

4. Means for sealing a wirebound box comprising a metal member adapted to be intertwisted with the free wire ends of a box binding wire; said member being sufficiently flexible for intertwisting with the wire ends without breaking and frangible when subjected to additional manipulation.

5. A method of sealing a wirebound box which is characterized b intertwisting with the free ends of a box inding wire a sealing member which is sufiiciently flexible for intertwisting with the wire ends without breaking and is frangible when subjected to additional manipulation. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD H. LUDLOW. 

